I find this sentiment a bit mystifying. Comparing the list with 9.2.1, there doesn't seem to be a lot of special rules. The 'nid-flavored planetfall is probably the biggest addition, but necessary if a best course of action in that regard is to be found. As for Resolute, a lot of variant lists have some version of this in order to avoid all-fearless armies.

Besides, the list now has a traditional BTS, and a more conventional (relative to other E:A armies) list construction mechanic. That seems to indicate to me that there are fewer special rules.

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Let us playtest like the Greeks of old... You know the ones I mean

Bear in mind the tunneler rule will end up being pulled out of the list. It will sit independently and cover three of the lists in the new supplement. Since the rule already exists in the core handbook anyway you can't really count it. The Xenos project will consult with the NetERC and all other list developers whose work may be touched by any modifications so that it is universal across the board.

So that is one special rule down.

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author of Syncing Forward and other stories...

It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I've got my Milkbone underwear on.

It's also in 9.2.1, hence I didn't even think it was worth mentioning in the "too many special rules" debate.

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Let us playtest like the Greeks of old... You know the ones I mean

Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm
Tyranid Swarm with 1x Gargoyle
Tyranid Swarm with 1x Gargoyle
Tyranid Swarm with 2x Gargoyles (BTS)

Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm
Trygon Swarm

19 activations
84 infantry units (Warriors, Termagants and Gargoyles)
18DC of Tunneling, 25cm speed CC War Engines.(Some can tunnel in and you'll still have a huge activation advantage).

The army will alternately FF or CC you to death.
80% of the army is expendable infantry.
The army will regenerate 10 x D3 Termagants per turn, at minimum.

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Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter

I intended the whole first page to be "supplement special rules". Expendable might be adopted for the tunneler rigs and tunneler is expanded from the main rulebook for further clarification. Planetary Assault was written generically so it could sit there as well.

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Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17

I'll have to proxy a few Tyrgons but I'll give it a shot E&C. What do you think would be the nastiest way to tunnel them? Turn 2 or 3 arrivals?

If it proves too good I'll change the formation to 2 Tyrgons.

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Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17

Depends on what rules you're using, but in general I'd look to pop 2 Trygons up near the enemy Blitz on turn 3.

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Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter

2 near the blitz turn 3, 2 near a T&H turn 3 (with them spaced very far apart?), and the rest in turn 2?

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Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17

Nope I'd probably deploy the rest normally to get that big activation advantage.
Speed 25cm means they can be pretty much wherever they like by the end of turn 1.

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Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter

what units is the Resolute rule going to apply to, once it's applied? All the fearless units?

I'd also echo E&C in that this would be a horror of a popcorn list to face. Most popcorn lists (20 units of Guardians, for example) are actually pretty useless because the fms are small, easy to break and usually remain broken. However, in this list 'nids rally either automatically or on a 2+, then get to spawn back some or all of their losses, plus they activate on a 1+ so you won't have the activation failure worry of a such a large no. of activations like you would with IG or Eldar. Even when they've been blown around a bit they'll still activate on a 2+. Add into that the fearless warriors being almost invulnerable in assaults and it would be next to impossible to counter.

I'd think of someway of making the core fms a bit more expensive AND/OR increasing the cost of the support fms - currently 5 out of 8 are under 200pts, which doesn't make the 1:1 restriction all that limiting.

Trygons and Harridan will probably be resolute. Bio-titans and synapse will be fearless.

Like I said, we'll test it and see. I will say that I'm shooting for all ind. formations being 150 points or more once the stat changes are done. That'll make for a 17 activation list at the max (9 synapse and 8 ind.).

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Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17

Still bannanas.

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Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter

That's one more than the current 'nid list, and from 2-7 less than the approved lists.

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Dave

Blog

NetEA Tournament Pack Website

Squats 2019-10-17

I think the point people are trying to make is that a 17 fm nid popcorn list is far more durable and effective than a 17-20 fm popcorn list from other armies, for the reasons above (1+ init, autorally outside of 30cm, fearless units, spawning back casualties etc).

Speaking of the current 'nid list, I thought that your list was supposed to be a "Phase III" / first contact list... this list is instead a flat out direct replacement for the current NetEA 'nid list.

I fail to see the point.

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Currently doing a plastic scenery kickstarter